The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-28
PRINCE AND NlHIUlST.
Strange Career of Russian NObleman
Orator, Author and Patriot.

| Strange Career of Russian NObleman,
| Orator, Author and Patriot.
There is now living, in somewhat
obscure lodging in London. a Russian
| nobleman, who asserts that his right to
the Cars throne is better than that of
its occupant himself; but this nobleman
is, and has long been. an exile from his
native country, for he has for years
been an active conspiratOr against the
| government of the autocrat. Both the
character and the career of Prince
Krapotkinc are interesting and suggest
| i've. His adventures have been many
and startling; nor is it probable, though
he has now passed middle age, that his
restless career is yet finished. Prince
Krapotkine has the blood of Rurik, the
| founder of the Russian monarchy, in
his veins. There is no prouder or more
ancient name than his in Russia. He
inherited great landed estates and a
princely fortune; yet he gave up wealth,
lofty social position and luxurious re-
| pose, to embark in what he regarded
as the cause of Russian liberty.
When quite young man. Prince
Krapotkine conceived an ardent love
of scientific study. From boyhood he
was serious, thoughtful and hard-work-
ing He did not indulge in the costly
pleasures which usually occupy the
time of young Russian mobiles. He went
to Siberia, in order to make geological
and geographical researches, and trav-
eled far and wide in search of scientific
knowledge. At last he found himself
at Geneva, in Switzerland, where he
engaged in labors on new universal
geography. 1t was while ut Geneva
that Prince KrapotIine became Nj
hilist and joined in the great con-
spiracy to overthrow the Gar. He be-
came the leader of the circle of Russian
conspirators at Geneva. and. throwing
aside his scientific work, gave himself
! heart and soul to the revolutionary
cause. He soon became known as Il
fcrvent and brilliant orator, and in Sc
cret, out-of-the-way places would ad-
dress his followers with burning ha-
rangues. a recent Russian writer saws
of him: .'He is all fire and passion on
the platform. When he rises, e seems
almost as one transformed. He trem-
bles with emotion, while his voice vi
brates with an accent of profound con-
yiction."
Krapotkine went to ST. Petersburg,
where his eloquence at secret meetings
gained him many new disciples. At
last the imperial police got an inkling
of what he was doing. His hoHsc,
which was headquarters of the colt
spiracy, was watched, and he was ar
rested and thrown into the grim fortress
prison of Peter and Paul. Fortunately
for the Prince. his health failed in his
gloomy prison, and he was transferred
to the Nicholas Hospital. 1t was here
that he and his friends planned one of
the most artful and romantic escapes
recorded in history. He got well. but
still pretended to be i'll and weak. His
keepers did not dream that the man
who feebly dragged himself along. with
the hollow face and tremulous vo ice of
one ut the point of death. was daily
gathering his energies for an attempt
ut liberty.
.'Hc was allowed to walk" says an
account of the affair. '.in the court
yard of the hospital. attended h: Il
soldier. 1t was winter. and the hospital
gate was left open and unguarded, for
the bringing in of wood. A plan
of signals with his friends was duly
| arranged by secret letters. The great
difficulty was To eyade the soldier, who
kept in parallel line with the Prince, but
always five PAGES nearer the gate than
he. One day, some notes of violin
/ were heard With sudden movement,
Krapotkine cast off his hospital coat,
and made for the gate. The startled
soldier forgot the gate, described two
sides of the triangle, and allowed his
prisoner to reach the exit before him. A
carriage was in waiting. and Prince Kra
potkine. his attire completely changed
by the way. was rapidly driven to a
place of concealment and safety"
A short time after this happy escape,
Krapotkine turned up at Lyons, in
France, where he We detected in
Socialistic plot He was tried, CON
demned to five years imprisonment and
confined in the prison of ST. Pail, in
Lyons Before his term was completed,
however. he WAS released, anu took up
his residence in London. where he no "
is. All the troubles of his career have
not dampened his ardor or decreased
mis- revolutionary energies: and he is
still one of the most form idable living
enemies of the Russian deSpotisal
Youths ConpaasoA